Chicago, Minneapolis Events to Help Increase Number of American Indian College Students
November 16, 2015
One percent of American Indian students are in college today, and only 13% today have a college degree—half of the national average—making them the most underserved group in America. The American Indian College Fund is hosting events in Chicago and Minneapolis to show how you can help Native scholars can overcome the odds to go to college and get a degree.
The Chicago event will take place on Thursday, December 3, 2014, 6-8 p.m., at the Marquette Room, Hilton Chicago, 720 South Michigan Avenue, Chicago, Illinois.
Guest speaker is Samuel Kohn, a member of Dentons’ U.S. LLP law firm and based in San Francisco, where he is a member of the firm’s Tribal Litigation practice team focusing on American Indian land issues. Mr. Kohn is an enrolled member of the Crow Tribe of Montana and grew up on the reservation. He attended Dartmouth College and the University of Wisconsin Law School.
Prior to law school, Mr. Kohn worked for the United States Senate Committee on Finance in Washington, D.C., where his work focused on Social Security, Indian health care, Indian tax matters and Montana tribes. During law school, Mr. Kohn served as a managing editor for the Wisconsin Law Review. He also worked as a judicial extern to United States District Judge Charles N. Clevert Jr. of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin.
Before joining Dentons, Mr. Kohn acquired extensive experience working in the judiciary at both the trial court and appellate levels. He served as a law clerk to United States District Judge Brian Morris of the District of Montana, and as a law clerk to the Montana Supreme Court. He has also clerked for the Native American Rights Fund, where he worked on education, tribal-state compacting and water rights matters.
To attend the Chicago event please R.S.V.P. by November 23 to Hannah Urano at the American Indian College Fund, hurano@collegefund.org, or call 303-429-4191.
The Minneapolis event will take place Tuesday, December 8 from 6-8 p.m., Hilton Minneapolis, 1001 Marquette Avenue, Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Guest speaker is Cholena Smith, an American Indian College Fund scholar, member of the Shinnecock Indian Nation of Long Island, and magna cum laude graduate of Stony Brook University with a degree in anthropology and sociology. Formerly the Education Program Manager of the Shinnecock Nation Cultural Center and Museum, Ms. Smith uses her education to develop cultural programs, trainings, and projects with the Shinnecock Cultural Resources Department to educate the public on Shinnecock heritage and critical environmental issues. Ms. Smith also works as a cultural enrichment and language instructor, develops policies and procedures including tribal historic preservation work, and provides her expertise to the department’s ethnobotany project in collaboration with the Macaulay Honors College of City University of New York and the New York Botanical Gardens. Ms. Smith is applying to doctorate programs to degree in anthropology so that she can develop Native studies curricula.
To attend the Minneapolis event please R.S.V.P. by November 30 to aicf.nmcstaging.com/twin-cities-network. For more information contact: Hannah Urano at hurano@collegefund.org or (303) 429-4191.
Complimentary cocktails and appetizers will be served at both events.
